We’re on the Atlassian Marketplace — planning poker inside Jira.

Get the Jira app →
Free Agile Tool

Retrospective Template Generator

Choose a retrospective format, enter your sprint details, and print a ready-to-use board for your team.

Choose a Format

Board Details (optional)

Preview below updates as you change format or details.

What is a Sprint Retrospective?

A sprint retrospective is a ceremony held at the end of each sprint where the team reflects on how they worked together — not what they built. It is a core Scrum event designed to continuously improve the team's processes, collaboration, and efficiency. A well-run retrospective surfaces problems early and builds psychological safety through honest, structured conversation.

The format you choose shapes how your team shares feedback. Different formats encourage different types of reflection — emotional, analytical, metaphorical, or action-oriented. Picking the right one for your team's maturity and current challenges makes the session more productive and engaging.

Retrospective Format Guide

Start, Stop, Continue

The most widely used retrospective format. Teams identify new practices to introduce, behaviours to eliminate, and things already working well. Best for: all team maturities, especially teams new to retrospectives.

Mad, Sad, Glad

An emotion-first format that helps teams surface feelings before jumping to action items. Useful when morale is low, team dynamics feel strained, or you want to build empathy across the group.

4Ls (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For)

A more nuanced variant that separates enjoyment from learning, and highlights specific gaps and desires. Great for teams working on a project with lots of discovery and experimentation.

Sailboat

A metaphor-based format that makes abstract concepts tangible. Wind represents enablers, anchor represents blockers, rocks are risks, and the island is the team's goal. Perfect for teams who find direct feedback uncomfortable.

DAKI (Drop, Add, Keep, Improve)

Action-oriented and concrete. Each column maps directly to a decision or change, making it easier to produce clear action items. Ideal for experienced agile teams who want efficient, outcome-focused retrospectives.

Starfish

A five-category format offering the most granular view of team behaviour. By splitting "keep doing" from "more of" and "stop doing" from "less of", it encourages more precise and honest feedback. Best for mature teams who have mastered shorter formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a sprint retrospective take?
The Scrum Guide recommends a maximum of 3 hours for a one-month sprint. For two-week sprints, aim for 60–90 minutes. Shorter sprints can work well with 45-minute retrospectives. The key is time-boxing each phase — gathering feedback, grouping themes, and deciding action items — so the session stays focused and ends on time.
How many action items should come out of a retrospective?
Quality over quantity. Most agile coaches recommend committing to 1–3 specific, measurable action items per retrospective. Too many action items dilute focus and rarely all get addressed. Each item should have a clear owner and be reviewed at the start of the next retrospective to track progress.
How do I choose the right retrospective format?
Start with Start, Stop, Continue if your team is new to retrospectives — it is intuitive and action-focused. Switch to Mad, Sad, Glad when morale or team dynamics need attention. Use 4Ls or Starfish when the team is comfortable with the format and wants more nuanced reflection. Sailboat works well for remote teams or those resistant to direct feedback. Rotate formats every few sprints to keep sessions fresh and prevent ritual fatigue.

Estimate your next sprint with your team

After your retrospective, use Planning Poker to size the upcoming backlog accurately — free, no account required.

We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.